Bernie’s Wine & Liquors sponsored the festival which featured food and beverage samples from the area’s top specialty craft brewers, restaurants and pork purveyors.

FARGO, ND – The Bacon & Beer Festival in Fargo, North Dakota, crowned its kings of bacon-eating.
Pete “Iron Gut” Smith took the top prize in the first competition after he ate a plate full of bacon faster than his opponents. He was rewarded with a trophy and a year’s supply of bacon. In Session Two of the contest, T.J. Johnson took home a trophy.

Pete “Iron Gut” Smith sizes up the competition during the 2016 Bacon & Beer Festival in Fargo.

Inforum.com reported Smith’s winning technique was to grab a handful of bacon, squeeze out the grease and shove the balled-up bacon strips into his mouth. After his victory, the 55-year-old Smith was quoted as saying, “I need a bath.”

The festival, which was sponsored Bernie’s Wine & Liquors, was held at Scheels Arena in Fargo, featured food and beverage samples from the area’s top specialty craft brewers, restaurants and pork purveyors. Participating vendors vied for “Squealer Award” honors. The Squealer Award for Best Bacon Dish went to Rhombus Guys Pizza.